Apparatus for producing a gaseous mixture having disinfecting and extinguishing properties.



PATENTED MAR. 24, 19-08 B MAROT. Y

APPARATUS FOR vPRODUUIlUS A GASEOUS MIXTU RE HAVINGDISINFBGTING AND EXTI'NGUISH ING PROPERTIES. APPLICATION FILED JULY 7, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

/g E z No. 883,036 PATENTED MAR. 24,1908.

R. MAROT. APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A GASEOUSMIXTURE HAVING DISINPEOTING AND EXTINGUISHING PROPERTIES.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 7. 1904.

2 SHEETB-$HEET 2.

a ,n W n I To all itme'y Camera:

UNITED STATES PATENT I curios.

RENE MAROT, or rams, FRANCE.

APPARATUS FOR PRODUGiNG A GASEUUtS MIXTURE HAVING DISINFECTIN'G AND EXTINGUZSHING PRGPERTIES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

latented March 24, 1906.

Application and July 7, mos. sef'iisl iiu. 215,552.

' Be it known that I, h laao'r, citizen of the Rape blic of France, and resident of 9, Avenue Malakoii', Paris, in the Republic, engineer, have invented a new and useful Apparatus fo1 Prod.ucin a Gaseous Mixture Having Disinfecting and Xtinguishing Properties, of'whieh the following is a specification.

Apparatus are known for blowing into any '5 ace or place a gaseous mixture either for to purpose of disinfecting" such space or place, or -for the purpose of extinguishing a eonflagration therein. It has been recog nized, however, that if mixtures of this kind used hitherto are often capable or destroying insects and vermin, liens, bugs, rats etc. they are not always eil'ective for destroying microbes and germs.

The present invention. relates to a process for reparing a gaseous mixture capable of pro" uclngthis two-fold effect, While possess 111g extinguishing properties, as well as to an apparatus for practicing this process and for b owing the gaseous mixture, whether for Y gives to the sulfuric arirydrid. There is h iemc )urooses or for extin uishin con' 1 b flagrations. I

The gaseous mixture in question consists of-a mixture of sulfur dioxid and air whicl has been transformed in part into sulfuric anhydrid by a special process before it is blown by means of a fan into the inclosed space which is to be disinfected, or in which a eonflagration is to be extinguished, such as a house, a warehouse, a granary, a coal store -or the hold oi a ship etc. This mixture is used. dry so that any damage to furniture, carpets or merchandise is avoided.

To practice the invention mint ure of sulfuric dioxid and atmospheric air is passed into an inclosed space such as for example a glass tube, where the mixture is submitted to the action of the silent electric discha and of the electric sparks which ei'iec ts the torniation of sulfuric anhydrid by the oxidation of the sulfur dioxid by the oxygen of the air, the latter being itself partially ozonized. The ozone thus formed is end owed with a considerable power of killing microbes and.

disinfecting, so that the mixture is the more ap ropriate for hygienic purposes.

A 11 certain cascs, for example if the electric part of the apparatus cannot act, the action of electricity may be exchanged for that of heat in order to produce the oxidation that then substituted for the glass tube a retort the degree of concentration it may hairs and "to the exi encies of each case, so that by ing with the, surrounding air it creates in. this space a toxic atmosphere which is al. lowed to remain until the germs or animals that are to he exterminated have been destroyed. The fan which serves to blow the mixture, and "the electric 'enerator that supplies current to the coils w iicli pro duce the silent discl largeland sparks, are controlled by a suitable motor, preferably a spirit motor, and all are advantageously arranged on a single base so as to form snap- ,paratus which is comp actand easily handled. The. accompanying drawings show by wa ;.-"of example such a complete apparatus for producing the mixture of atmospheric air and sulfur dioxid, submitting it to the action of the silent discharge and sparks to make it toxic and for then forwarding it into the space where it is to act.

Figure 1 is an elevation and Fig. 2 a plan of the whole apparatus; Fig. 3 is a long. dinel section drawn to an enlarged so: it of the glass tube in which is pro duccd the silent cross sections of the tube shown in Fig. 3, showing an arrangement of electrodes for the silent discharge and the sparks. horizontal part section showing the details of apparatus; Fig. 7 is an end "elevation and Fig. a side elevation partly in section (if-anv arrangement that may be substituted for the electric part oi the apparatus, when local; used instead of electricity for producing the toxic mixture.

The sulfur dioxid. used is preferably in. the liquid. form in bottles. The bottle of sulfur dioxid i, Fig. 2, is laid at the rear part ofthe apparatus. a pointed adjustable valve 'with the lower part of the tube 2 which admits the-sulfur di oxid. The pressure within "the bottle-endless to force the liquid to rise in the tubeZ and-to or chamber wherein the gaseous mixture The gaseous mixture of the into the space to be disinfected in Quantity which may he varied according to discharge and the sparks; Figs. 4 and 5 are the admission of the sulfur dioxid into the It is inconnnunication through feed the a i )aratus with a uantit of sulfur l l q J Fig. =6 is a I Flirt dionid adjustable by the valve. The tube 2 rises through the interior of the right hand rear column 3, Fi 's. 2 and 6. Through the interior of this co'umn also rises around the tube 2 the water which has cooled the spirit motor and which thus yields its heat to the sulfur dioxid. In order to increase the trans ion of this heat, it is preferable to make miss the tube 2 of flattened form as represented in do d in .l ig. 6. hen. the tubeil has arr .t the enlargement 4 which forms the te oil t in column 3 it is bent forward forming shell 5 Within the horizontal conduit 6. This branch 5 has a series of small openin s 7 tlu'ough which the sulfur dioxid while sti in liquid state esca ass and evaporates as it imes on the exhaust ipe 8 of the spirit The intense colil produced by the :tion of the dioxid is thus counterby the heated exhaust gases of the .ly the issue of the dioxid through f small openings avoids the depoand hoarfrost which. are always y the evaporation. of a larger jet. uluit' 6 the gasified dioxid becomes .h the aicwhich enters from the tl'irough the opening 9 as indicated the arrows'in Fig. 6, being aspirated by ac ion ol. the fan. ous mixture arrives at the front l enlargement 10, Figs. 1 and 2, esi to the bent pipe 11 and then as indied by the arrow in Fig. 3, into the glass l2 where it is subjected to the electric I first of the silent discharge and then a is, which action produces a small if sulfuric anhydrid. The oxygen r is at the same time partially con- -l into ozone, a gas which is essentially a germicide, and adds its action to the hycieuic properties ofthe mixture. The silent l cl'iur e and sparks pass between the elec- It. It

ils of which are connected with the terminals of a series of coils receiw prin' ary current from a small d 3 ol." anysuitablc type." The coils "l, are not shown in the drawing, are an within. a wooden box 16 standing on s of the apparatus. This box 16 also :1- the tube l2 whicb is fixed therein for era. iple by. means of the arrangement shown in Fig. 3. This position of the glass within the coil box has the advantage wring :it from external shocks and of U Ming," the terminals of the high voltage 1' lulu I s from being handled. .l top of the coil box are the measur- To :lng app atus, the 'vol'ty'neter, ampere meter, etc, as well as the current interru ter, and

the top has a window through whic 1 the berior of the silent discharge amlthc sparks in. he t 12 an .be viewed. l

ice of the silent discharge l3,

es lfil, 13', 13 and 14, 14, respectively" 1 which the glass tube is provided and the Figs. 3 and 4 are preferably provided with little points of metallic wire, thus forming small cards between which the silentdischar e passes. The electrodes 14 for the spar s, Figs. 3 and 5, comprise a series of points, like the teeth of a comb. gaseous mixture thus subn'littedj to the electric action is partly transformed into sulfuric anhydrid and ozone which ive it its desired properties as a poison am a germicide. It passes into the bent tube 17, then into the front left hand enlargement 18, descends inthc front left columnl1-9 and is drawn therefrom by the fan through the horizontal conduit 21 arran ed under the base of the a paratus 22. he fan 20 is preferably of t e Root type as is represented 111 .l igs. 1 and 2... This fan forwards the toxic gaseous mixture through the tubulure 23 which is connected by a propriate duets with the s acc to. be disin 'ected the latter is thus filed little by little with a certain quantity of sulfur dioxid and sulfuric anh criil containing some ozone. The fan and the dynamo 15 which furnishes current to the coils are driven by any suitable motor, preferably a spirit motor 24. This motor which does not run at too great a s ecd drives the fan directly by a coupling an the dynamo by the intermediary of a belt passing over a pulley .25 and over a pulley 26 of the flywheel 27. The motor 24 is fed from a spirit reservoir 28; its ignition coils and accumulators are represented at 36. Its exhaust gases escape b the pipe 8 which serves, as already stator to heat the sulfur dioxid as it enters the apparatus. This exhaust )ipc 8 is extended to the/front right hand enlargement 10 whence it opens into the interior of the front right hand column 29 which communicates direct] with a silencer 30 situated beneath the also 22 of the apparatus and shown. in dotted lines in Fi s. l and v The circulation of the cooling water of the motor is as follows A small pump 31 driven by the motor 24 sucks water from a vet 3:57 situated beneath the base and ahown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The water is discl'aargcd by the pump into the pi c 32, passes around the rhotor 24 and coo s the atter while it is itself heated. .The'hot water tllhn passes into the pipe 33' which conducts it to the bottom of the right hand rear columun 3. lo this column it circulates from the bottom to the top around the tube 2 that conducts the liquid sulfur dioxid which it thus heats beginning to be cooled itself as has been explained. It then passes to the right hand roar enlargement 4 and then into the radiator fl l where its cooling is completed. Finally it returns through the left hand rear column 35 to the vat 37 under the base, whence the pump 3] takes it again for fresh circulation. When a The j v steam engine is used as distinct from a. spirit motor, the heating of the sulfur dioxid as it enters the apparatus is effected by the exhaust steam of the motor.

As has been stated above, in certain cases the action of electricity may be exchanged for that of heat to effect the oxidation which produces the sulfuric anhydrid. To this end the coil b'o-x 16 is dismounted and is with.- drawn from the apparatus together with the glass tube which it contains. The dynamo which is not longer required is disconnected and may be com )letely removed. In the place of the coil box is introduced the ar rangenrent shown in Figs. 7 and 8 which serves to heat the gaseous mixture to a suitable temperature. This arrangement comprises it fireclay retort 38 of oblong cross section surrounded by n tireclay chamber forming a furnace 39, -40 of the some form but thicker and in two parts, which fit together exactlyand are held firmly by bands of iron 41 insuring efliciency of the joints 42. The two ends of the retort 38 are of cylindrical form to allow of there being adapted thereto serewthrcmlcd metal pieces 43 on which are screwed the tubes 1 l and 1? connecting the retort with the enlargements l and 18, Figs. 1 and 2. These tubes 11 and 17 which are generally of bronze or copper, are exchanged for tubes of iron when heat is used as the means for effecting oxidation as this metal is less attacked by I the toxic .gas.

torfi 3H and then escape by a chimney to arranged in the pieces I"), 40.. The gaseous -mixturc thus heated passes into tlu' tube 17- and then into the fan by the samc pnlh us that previously described.

- it is sometimes dcsirablc tolproyidc a sup )lomcntary entrance of sulfur dioxid of 17 big. 3, at the bottom of the front left hand column 'lhis supplemcntary supply is dcstincd tocool the gas which ssues from tho retort at a. high temperature and is derived from asocond bottle 48 shown in dotlcd lines in Fig. 2 and connected lo u cock fixed to the H l l lo this rock is htlcd u p| w 1 side of thc basev also shown in dollcd lmcs opening into the condult' 21 which p|pe is pcrlorutcd Wllll U0 snmll holes in such a manner us lo rlilluSv llugas rapidly and thus to obtain a wry rapid gasifieation and u very great and extended chilling effect. The gas entering the retort with a. certain percentage of dioxid is hccted therein and is thcn chilled by the addition of the supplementary supply of sulfundioxid, the percentage of that gas in the nixturc being thusincrcascd.

It is evident that the arrangement of the divers elements of the apparatus and certain details of the construction con be modified without changing in any manner thc principle of the inventionv Having thus described the nature of this invention and the best means I know of carrying the same into practical effect, I claim 1. An apparatus for cll'ccting a reaction between a mixture of sulfur dioxid and air, comprising a. fan, amotor fordriving the fan. a reservoir adapted to contain liquid sulfur dioxid, a. mixing chnmbcr for receiving the sulfur dioxid and air, means for conveying the liquid dioxid to the mixing chamber, a motor, an exhaust pipe from the motor arranged to impart its heat to he liquid dioxid and means tor transforming a part of the mixture ofdioxid and air into sulfuric anhydrid.

2. An apparatus for effecting a reaction between u mixture of sulfur dioxhl and air. comprising a fan arranged to circulate the said gust-oils mixlurc, [nouns arranged to drivc lhc said fun. n reservoirnduptcd tor-onlnin liquid sulfur dioxid, a pcrfo'rulcd duct for permitting the liquid dioxid to cscupc llllu'n mixing chamber, nu exhaust pipe from the motor arranged in position to reccivc lhcrcon I luliquid dioxid as it cscnpcs from tho pcl'forutcd duct. moans for circulnting water around the motor. mcuns for circulnting the motor cooling water nround the duct through which the liquid dioxid passes, :1 glass lube. clcclrodcs in {he sold gloss tubc, a. mixing clmmbcr forniixiug the liquid dioxid with nil, nu-uns for conducting the mixture of dioxid and air to tho glass tube, coils conoortcd lo suid ch-rlrollos for pro-- during a sih-nl clcclric dischurgc nnd clcclrir sparks in said gloss luluand n dynumo adapted lo supply l'lll'lllll to tho said coils nnd driven by the snid motor.

in lcsl imony. llml lcluim llll foregoing as my invention, l lmyo signed my Home in presence of two nilncsscs; this lucntV-liflh day of June l.ll|-l. 

